Bob Dylan Christmas in the Heart
  full reviewuser ratings (7) 
Tracklist:
1. Here Comes Santa Claus
2. Do You Hear What I Hear?
3. Winter Wonderland
4. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
5. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
6. Little Drummer Boy
7. The Christmas Blues
8. O’ Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)
9. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
10. Must Be Santa
11. Silver Bells
12. The First Noel
13. Christmas Island
14. The Christmas Song
15. O’ Little Town Of Bethlehem


Release Date: 10/12/2009

user rating
3.2
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2.5
average
Adam Thomas CONTRIBUTOR (78 Reviews)

2009-10-12 | 19 comments | 1,409 views

Summary: Everyone's favorite wheezy troubadour gets a little X-mas spirit.

4 of 4 thought this review was well written

All the great icons in American popular culture have put their own stamp on the tacky yuletide classic that is the Christmas album. With the release of his 47th album, Christmas In the Heart, Bob Dylan has now reached the same iconic stature as American luminaries such as Alvin and the Chipmunks, Larry the Cable Guy, and whoever the fuck wrote “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer”. Well, he does manage to dispel the thought of this being a cash in as Bob Dylan will be donating his royalties from Christmas In the Heart to the World Food Programme, Crisis UK and Feed America, and regardless of if the album is good or not, helping feed the needy is always a commendable act.

Sadly, the charitable aspect of Christmas in the Heart is its only real positive. Christmas in the Heart contains every negative aspect of holiday music, most notably the tepid choirs and the bland arrangements. Bar Dylan's asthmatic bullfrog croaks it has everything that you'd expect to find under it's faux-Currier and Ives album cover. The only times Christmas in the Heart shows off any real personality is on his polka rendition of “Must Be Santa Claus” with its clamoring pace and gratuitous accordion showcase. The worst aspect of Christmas in the Heart has to be Dylan himself. His seedy, bluesy wheezing brings to mind a lot of things, but the holidays just aren't one. Despite the fact that for the first time in a long while it actually sounds like Dylan is having some fun in the studio, that doesn't make up for him sounding like a drunken emphysemic septuagenarian caroler on his last breath.

For anyone thinking that Christmas in the Heart would be a serious effort they are bound to be disappointed, but for those that want to hear everybody's favorite Jew awkwardly belt out a few Christmas classics for charity it's at least worth a listen. Sure it's not that good, but there are a million and one other holiday themed albums out there that are worse than Christmas in the Heart.

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Comments:Add a Comment 
redskyformiles
Contributing Reviewer


Comments: 5794
10.12.09

Album Rating: 2.5

I guess this officially marks the start of the holiday shopping season.

Digging: David Bazan - Curse Your Branches

gyromania1


Comments: 1912
10.12.09


great review, pos.

i love the holidays and carols and such, however, i think i'll be avoiding this one. i am hoping that the trans siberian orchestra put something new out this year.

Digging: Clint Mansell & Kronos Quartet - The Fountain

LeperCon


Comments: 893
10.12.09


Bing Crosby put out the best Christmas album ever, no question

Digging: Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue

Kirgasm


Comments: 2151
10.12.09

Album Rating: 2.5

awesome review

Digging: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Summer Of Fear

pizzamachine


Comments: 356
10.12.09


"i am hoping that the trans siberian orchestra put something new out this year"

They're releasing 'Night Castle' this year near the end of October. It won't be a Christmas album though.

kingsoby1
Staff Reviewer


Comments: 1630
10.12.09


nah it'll be classical prog metal dude yeah!

bliddleditbliddledit waaaahh waaaahh

Digging: Wale - Attention Deficit

MrPoopular


Comments: 667
10.12.09

Album Rating: 5

Possibly the best album i've heard, and i've heard every dragonforce album

redskyformiles
Contributing Reviewer


Comments: 5794
10.12.09

Album Rating: 2.5

lulz

UhhKris


Comments: 3790
10.12.09


=(
poor dylan

Digging: Converge - Axe To Fall

redskyformiles
Contributing Reviewer


Comments: 5794
10.12.09

Album Rating: 2.5

told ya, bro.

UhhKris


Comments: 3790
10.12.09


i still haven't heard it tho
and you made me not want to hear it
plus its freaking october

redskyformiles
Contributing Reviewer


Comments: 5794
10.12.09

Album Rating: 2.5

yeah, it's a little early.

EasternLight


Comments: 1405
10.12.09


what i dont get this.

Digging: A Forest of Stars - The Corpse of Rebirth

redskyformiles
Contributing Reviewer


Comments: 5794
10.12.09

Album Rating: 2.5

what's not to get?

qwe3


Comments: 2129
10.12.09


dude the summary made me laugh so hard.

Digging: Dead Congregation - Purifying Consecrated Ground

Meatplow


Comments: 2425
10.21.09


Together Through Life was so boring

ninjacat11


Comments: 135
10.22.09


Okay, what? I dig Bob Dylan, but what?

Digging: Mastodon - Blood Mountain

JesusV4


Comments: 23
10.27.09


The proceeds of this album go to charity.

I thought it was shameless til I heard that much.

Now I think it's pretty cool he did it.

And I've heard that the songs are written in some interesting old standard blues forms.

May not be that bad. If you don't mind Bob Dyln croaking like a bulfrog. But who listens to Dylan for his voice???

Gaseous


Comments: 1
11.17.09


Hope your wrong I loves me some Bob Dylan



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